Listened to both of these tunes just now. I like them both quite a bit. In that message you sent me, if you don't mind me saying, Blood Moon Surf was done all ITB yes? Is that the same with the other one? I can see what you mean by the sounds in blood moon not having as much character as the sounds you can make OTB but, honestly, I think that's just the nature of the particular sounds you chose for blood moon.

There's a guitar, synth piano type thing, a pad, and a very real sounding bass. All of these type of sounds are pretty standard type sounds that, by nature, I'd think wouldn't carry the flavor of a heavily modulated sound be it made ITB or otherwise. Blood Moon really made me think of The XX which I really enjoy sometimes.

Anyway...

I thought the beat was technically better on the second one you posted but the one on Blood Moon had more of a groove. Mix on both was pretty solid but, one thing I'm realizing with your work is, generally I think you could bring up the background pads and other melodic background elements up. Pad type sounds mainly. Or maybe just bringing that bass down a couple db or so would do it. I know, I know, I know, you're a bass music head but I think you could still retain that feel by doing that.

Of course that could be just a case of "I like pads loud in my work so everyone else should too" syndrome on my part.

All in all they're both solid tracks and with a bit of development I could definitely see a concept album here. Feburary was the last album writing month anything I have heard from you. Not sure if you guys have done one that I missed but the improvement in what I hear here and what I heard then is definitely marked and recognizable.

Thanks for the advice. And yea, that is true that I've been digging for whatever..ah..."traditional"? instruments I have in Kontakt or Alchemy instead of doing a lot of sound design type stuff.

I can dig me some XX for sure : ) I'm always amazed by how absolutely minimal their tunes can be and still be good.

Yea. I actually really agree about the bass. I think I tend to turn it up because I just want it to be huge, but it doesn't really leave much room for the other instruments. Even after August I'm going to keep pushing these tracks, so I'll make sure to go back to the gain staging. Even if this is somewhat a matter of my liking a bass heavy mix and your liking a...pad heavy? mix there is a point where maybe the mix isn't working. I know in the Blood Moon one I'd like to hear more of the guitar part, having listened yesterday again.

Funny what you say about the beats. I've been goofying around writing the beat and some parts in Maschine at twice the BPM I want the song in. Then when I bounce audio and get into FL Studio, I set the BPM I want to work in and fool around stretching and cutting the audio. I think if I knew more about music math I could make it work better, instead of just trying stuff and seeing if it works. I guess the point is I think I agree.

These could turn out pretty different. I've got the arrangement and basic idea down, so now there is no rush.